The two have been tipped to face-off initially before the year’s end but continuous talks stalled the plan with a fight date now confirmed to be next year January 14.

The much talked about ring fight is one promising to be a crunch episode as Badou takes on DeGale, who like the Gambian, has only one lost to his name.

Badou became a world champion after beating Anthony Dirrel, George Groves before drawing Lucian Bute while DeGale –the sole British professional boxer to win an Olympic gold medal –beat Dirrel in 2015.